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Kennedy Biographies

Joyce M. Riquelme is manager of the Center Planning and Development Office at the NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC). She provides strategic leadership and management integration of center planning activities and partnership development initiatives to enable KSC as a multi-user spaceport supporting both government and commercial launch providers and their customers. She manages the identification and development of strategic and business partnerships that advance NASA and KSC goals, and provides the KSC 'front door' interface to industry and other governmental organizations. Riquelme ensures the effective use and development of the center's land, facilities and technical capabilities in support of NASA missions through center land use planning, development of spaceport infrastructure and business strategies, and the preparation and coordination of the Center Master Plan with NASA organizations and external stakeholders. She is responsible for the development, negotiation and coordination of proposed real estate agreements with public and private entities for use of KSC land and facilities.

Prior to this assignment, Riquelme was the deputy director of the Cape Canaveral Spaceport Management Office (CCSMO), providing contract management and administration of the Joint Base Operations and Support Contract (J-BOSC) for KSC and the United States Air Force, 45th Space Wing, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Patrick Air Force Base.

Riquelme previously also served as manager of the Space Shuttle Program Sustainability Office for NASA, responsible for the management and integration of all Space Shuttle Program logistics and supply-chain management activities across three NASA centers and five major aerospace contractors, and for ensuring long-term supportability throughout the life of the program. In this capacity, she was responsible for managing the $450 million annual combined sustainment, infrastructure and upgrades development budgets for the Space Shuttle Program.

Riquelme began her career with NASA in 1987 as a thermal, mechanical and structures systems engineer. She was appointed deputy manager of the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Resident Office at KSC in 1992 and became manager of the JSC Resident Office in 1995. From 1999 to 2002, she developed and chaired the Process Control Focus Group, a joint NASA/industry group formed to improve process control across the shuttle supplier base. From 2000 to 2003, she served as program manager for the SSP Industrial Engineering for Safety Program, a $15 million-per-year initiative to improve work force safety and reduce damage to flight hardware caused during ground processing.

Prior to NASA, Riquelme worked for Rockwell International, and SmithKline and French pharmaceuticals.

In addition to numerous performance and team awards, Riquelme received the NASA Certificate of Commendation in 1993, the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal in 2000, the Rotary Stellar Nominee Award in 2001 and the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Sixteenth NASA Continual Improvement and Reinvention Conference in 2001.

Born in Hollidaysburg, Pa., Riquelme graduated from Cocoa High School in Cocoa, Fla., and was awarded a Bachelor of Science, cum laude, in clinical chemistry from the University of South Florida in Tampa in 1979.

Riquelme, her husband Juan and daughter Katie, live in Titusville, Fla.